Having fun and helping others.....

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a UK charity dedicated to the development of young people.  They help young people from every possible background to develop the attitudes and skills needed to succeed in life.

Helping over 275,000 young people every year, they have the widest reach of any youth charity.  Over 30,000 of these young people are from a disadvantaged background; in local authority care, refugees, young parents or carers, those living in areas of high unemployment, young offenders or those at risk of offending, those with special needs and young people who are not in employment, education or training. 

Every young person that gains an Award spends at least an hour per week for up to two years volunteering in their community, learning a new skill, and getting fit or participating in sport.  They also plan and carry out an expedition as a team under challenging circumstances designed to test them to the limit.

The impact this has on young people is astonishing.  In a recent survey 85% of Gold Award Holders reported increased confidence, 83% improved team working skills, 79% greater leadership ability and 78%  better decision-making - skills that can transform young people’s futures.  Nearly two out of three Gold Award holders of all ages report it helped them gain their current job.

It also has a major benefit to the community, across the UK: each year, with the award's support, young people contribute volunteering worth over £13.5m to their local communities.  61% of Gold Award holders develop a longer term commitment to volunteering even after they have completed their work with them.

In 2006 they were granted Royal Charter status by Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of their 50th anniversary, in recognition of achievements.  Since 1956 nearly 4 million people have undertaken an Award in the UK and a further 2 million through one of the 120 sister organisations worldwide.

They are small and incredibly efficient:  helping 275,000 young people with only just over one hundred staff. They do this through working with a network of over 50,000 volunteers and partners, including voluntary sector organisations, 56% of all state secondary schools, schools for young people with special needs, and over 100 Youth Offending Institutes and Teams.  This means that the impact the supporters have on the ground is many times greater than the value of their support.

Duke of Edinburgh are passionate about extending the reach of the Award and giving every young person the opportunity to take part – developing their skills and attitudes and giving young people experiences that will have a lasting impact on their lives and futures.